UFC Picks

UFC 189 Betting: Aldo & McGregor Known for Stand Up, But Who Owns Advantage On The Mat?

Devastating striking is what these featherweights are known for but what happens if this fight turns into a grappling match? Will that affect our UFC picks? Let’s take a look.

UFC Odds on Submission Props
The undeniable fact of the matter is that this fight will begin with these two devastating strikers standing upright while attempting to pummel the other into next week. The fight will more than likely be decided by a KO, TKO or a decision and therefore including a submission in your UFC picks in this championship featherweight tilt is not only challenging conventional wisdom but turning it on its logical head.

Yet convention is for the pragmatic while rebellion is for the renegades who think outside the box and believe the reward always outweighs the risk. Every now and again they're right which is why we allow ourselves a walk on the wild side to see how this meeting of two world class caliber fighters known for their fistic prowess and bone-crushing striking ability could suddenly morph into a grappling match that will determine who wears the strap at the end of the evening.

Aldo's Ground Game
It's a testament to Jose Aldo's well-deserved reputation as a world class striker that his ground game is overlooked. What many, outside the orbit of the rabid fandom UFC bubble, are unaware of is that Jose Aldo has tremendous pedigree when it comes to the ground game. He has demonstrated his sublime takedown down defense on many occasions yet there is only a singular occasion where he actually submitted an opponent showcasing his skills as a BJJ and Luta Livre black belt which was way back in 2005 via an arm-triangle choke. And for those that are ready to take issue with me regarding the submissions on his record reflect two and not one I would suggest you take a look at the other "submission" on YouTube where he simply soccer kicked a prone Anderson Silverio into oblivion which was registered as a submission instead of a TKO due to some nuance of the Vale Tudo rules in which he was competing.

The fact is Jose Aldo needs to go to the ground about as much as Scarlett Johansson needs to sing. Both have the skills to do so but they have other assets that suit them quite well thank you. If Aldo does indeed get in trouble with McGregor standing up then let's just hope he has the good sense to take the fight to the mat and into a world that he should own against the loquacious Irishman.

Conor McGregor's Ground Attack
Conor McGregor's ground attack sounds like an oxymoron similar to colossal shrimp, civil war, dull roar and bitter sweet. The fact of the matter is the only thing remotely resembling any ground chops would be his brown belt in BJJ under the legendary John Kavanagh (I've never heard of him either but I have no doubt if he's training Conor McGregor he's more than capable of making me regret my dalliance with sarcasm at his expense).

Okay, so McGregor is a recent recipient of his BJJ brown belt which in the UFC is akin to a Hells Angel riding a respectable touring bike replete with full safety features. McGregor has no submissions to his credit but if you want something to sink your teeth into read the following quote from sparring partner and Renzo Gracie disciple Gunnar Nelson:

"He's very good on the ground, and he's even better when it's grappling for MMA, because that's a lot of difference. You know, grappling or Jiu Jitsu is not the same as the wrestling and grappling in MMA, and he's really good there; and he's got good submissions, and he's very fast and he can move in most directions, and he's getting better every single day. If a good black belt forgets himself for a second, he's on you and he's probably going to submit you. One-hundred percent he can [submit Aldo]."